Relative hands missing Queensland kids to police

Relatives of five young children who were missing from their North Queensland home are speaking to police, as the search continues for their father.

Police tape

File image. Source: AAP

Five children at the centre of an Amber Alert in north Queensland are safe and well after being handed to authorities by a relative.

Fears had been held for the children - a six-year-old boy and four girls aged five, four, one and two months - since they went missing on Monday night.

Officers had been looking to speak to their father, 31-year-old Zane Smallwood, about an unrelated matter when they noticed he, along with the children, was not at his Home Hill residence.

Police received several tip-offs from the public on Tuesday before announcing just before 2pm they had located all five children.

A police spokesperson confirmed one of Smallwood's close relatives had been harbouring the children, and they are speaking with detectives after handing them in.

Detective Senior Sergeant Dave Miles, from the Townsville child protection investigation unit, earlier on Tuesday said they believed the children were at significant risk.

"We have a current investigation running where concerns have been raised in relation to instances and issues that these children may have been exposed to," Sen Sgt Miles said.

The Amber Alert has now been cancelled.

Smallwood remains at large although police are no longer seeking public assistance to locate him, saying they're pursuing normal investigations into his whereabouts.


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Source: AAP


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